At the age of 21, the KKK in Neshoba County, Mississippi,
shot a young black man named James Earl Chaney. Two young white men were also killed that night with Chaney.
Chaney, the son of Fannie Lee and Ben Chaney, Sr. was the
eldest son of five children.
In 1963, Chaney became a volunteer for the new Congress of
Racial Equality office in Meridian where he lived. He traveled to rural
communities to set up meetings that encouraged voting and went into places that white CORE members were afraid of.
Chaney also organized voter education classes and assisted
CORE members in gaining relationships with black church leaders.
He was killed for being black and for speaking out against
the cruelties of his race.
Michael Schwerner was born to a father who was the operator
of a wig manufacturing plant and a mother who was a high school biology
teacher. He was the youngest of two sons.
In 1961, Schwerner graduated from Cornell University and a
year later married Rita Levant. In 1963, they joined Congress on Racial
equality and moved to Mississippi in 1964.
Schwerner was sent to Meridian to organize a community
center and to make other programs for the black community. While in Meridian he
also organized a boycott against multiple stores until it hired its first black
man. In May of 1964, Sam Bower, the Imperial Wizard of the White Knights of the Mississippi Ku Klux Klan, sent word to the klansmen of Lauderdale and Neshoba counties to "eliminate" Schwerner.
He was killed alongside James Earl Chaney and Andrew Goodman
after visiting the black congregation of Mount Zion church in Longdale. They
had been beaten and lost their church due to his efforts to help them. The
church was to be used as a “freedom school.”
Schwerner was known as the “ most despised civil rights
worker in Mississippi.”
At the age of 20, Andrew Goodman died on Rock Cut road
alongside his two colleagues James Earl Chaney and Michael Schwerner.
Goodman was one of three sons born to Robert and Carolyn
Goodman in New York City.
Goodman graduated from Walden High School where he
participated in the “Youth March for Integrated Schools,” and prepared a report
on poverty in America. He then attended the University of Wisconsin and Queens
College.
In 1964, Goodman applied, and was accepted into the
Mississippi Summer Project to help register blacks in Mississippi. He assisted
in developing civil rights strategies and was then sent to Mississippi after
attending a three-day training session in Ohio.
Near the end of his first full day in Mississippi he was
killed.
Roberts participated in beating the black citizens at the Mount Zion church on June 16. Five days later he was the one who pulled the trigger in the killing of Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney.
He was later identified as the killer, convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After his release from the Leavenworth, Kansas Federal Penitentiary Roberts became a car dealer in Meridian.
However, he still continued in his violent ways and kicked a CBS camera man in the groin and smashed him over the head.
James Jordan (MB: Lester Cowens) —
James Jordan moved to Meridian and worked in a hotel and was the operator of an illegal speakeasy. During the time of his arrival the Ku Klux Klan was planning the murder of Michael Schwerner and Jordan played an active role in recruiting killers for the night of the murder and was even said to have been a participant in the killings.
It was said that "Jordan was a nervous man who had difficulty keeping secrets," and the FBI convinced him to give up state evidence. After what was said to be five long interviews Jordan finally talked.
After hearing the evidence as well as Jordan's case for his role in the killing he was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison.
Agent John Proctor (MB: Agent Rupert Anderson) —
Not Pictured
1926-
John Proctor was born in Reform, Alabama. 26 years later he began working for the Bureau. Then in 1962 he began working in Meridian under the supervision of the FBI.
It was said that because of his job Proctor "cultivated friendships with all types who might aid in his job, from bootleggers to local law enforcement officials, Klansmen, black leaders and the civil rights workers.
After the disappearance of Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney, Proctor was assigned to investigate the disappearance. Because of his history in Neshoba County, Proctor was "one of the most productive FBI's agents assigned to the case."He also was the one who got a confession out of James Jordan.
In 1978, Proctor retired from the FBI to open up his own detective agency in Meridian.
Agent Joseph Sullivan (MB: Agent Alan Ward) —
Feb. 27, 1917- Aug. 2, 2002
After graduating from law school Joseph Sullivan began working for the FBI in 1947.
In the 1950's he began keeping an eye on the Ku Klux Klan as well as other violent organization. Then in 1963 he was promoted the Major Case Inspector where he "quickly developed a reputation for thoroughness and efficiency.
In 1964 he became the major case inspector over the deaths of Civil Rights workers Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney.
His code name for the investigation was MIBURN. This is where the movie "Mississippi Burning" received its title.
Sullivan was a widower with grown children.
Samuel Holloway Bowers (MB: Clayton Townley) —
Aug. 6, 1924 -Nov. 5, 2006
At the age of 82, Samuel Holloway Bowers died from a heart
attack in the Mississippi State Penitentiary Hospital.
Hailing from New Orleans, Samuel Holloway Bowers was born to
Samuel Bowers Sr. and Evangeline Payton.
On Feb. 15, 1964,
as a 39-year-old businessman, he founded the Mississippi White Knights of the Ku
Klux Klan, which according to the New York Times is the “most violent and secretive
divisions of the Ku Klux Klan.” He served as the clans Imperial Wizard.
He served six
years in federal prison for the killing of Andrew Goodman, Michael H. Schwerner
and James Earl Chaney.
In 1998, Bowers
was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for killing Vernon F. Dahmer Sr.
It was said that
“Sam Bowers lived a life consumed with hate for African Americans.”
Bowers never married.
Deputy Cecil Ray Price (MB: Deputy Clinton Pell) —
Apr. 15 1938- May 6, 2001
At the age of 63, Deputy Cecil Ray Price, who according to the New York Times, died from a skull fracture after falling off a lift 3 days earlier.
In his younger years Price was a member of the Ku Klux Klan, the deputy sheriff for Neshoba County and "the man in the center of the conspiracy to murder Schwerner, Goodman, and Chaney. Price was the man who stopped the blue Ford station wagon on the afternoon of June 21, the man who placed the three in the Neshoba County Jail, and the man who, around 10:30 at night, sent the three civil rights workers on their way to meet their murderers."
In 1968, Price was found guilt and sentenced to six years in prison.
After he was released from the Sandstone Federal Penitentiary in 1974 he went back to Philadelphia and worked as a "surveyor, oil company driver and a watchmaker in a jewelry shop."
Alton Wayne Roberts (MB: Frank Bailey) —
Apr. 6, 1938- Sep. 11, 1999
Wayne Roberts, a rowdy ex-marine, was 26 years old when he joined the Ku Klux Klan. After joining the klan in Lauderdale County, Roberts began calling for the execution of Schwerner.
Deputy Cecil Ray Price (MB: Deputy Clinton Pell) —
At the age of 63, Deputy Cecil Ray Price, who according to the New York Times, died from a skull fracture after falling off a lift 3 days earlier.
In his younger years Price was a member of the Ku Klux Klan, the deputy sheriff for Neshoba County and "the man in the center of the conspiracy to murder Schwerner, Goodman, and Chaney. Price was the man who stopped the blue Ford station wagon on the afternoon of June 21, the man who placed the three in the Neshoba County Jail, and the man who, around 10:30 at night, sent the three civil rights workers on their way to meet their murderers."
In 1968, Price was found guilt and sentenced to six years in prison.
After he was released from the Sandstone Federal Penitentiary in 1974 he went back to Philadelphia and worked as a "surveyor, oil company driver and a watchmaker in a jewelry shop."
Sheriff Lawrence Rainey (MB: Sheriff Ray Stuckey) —
Mar. 2, 1923- Nov. 8, 2002
Lawrence Rainey was born and raised in Neshoba County where he attended school, became a mechanic and eventually found his way into law enforcement.
In 1959, Rainey shot and killed a black man from Chicago and also participated in whipping a black boy with his belt. However, "to those who were white and neither labor organizers or civil rights workers, Rainey was downright friendly," but his anger and brutality continued to grow.
Rainey was arrested on conspiracy charges for the 1964 murder of Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney. It could not be proven that he himself was involved in the killing so he was acquitted.
In Nov. of 1967 his term as sheriff ended and he was no longer able to find a job in law enforcement so he worked as a security guard.
Rainey died from throat and tongue cancer.
Alton Wayne Roberts (MB: Frank Bailey) —
Wayne Roberts, a rowdy ex-marine, was 26 years old when he joined the Ku Klux Klan. After joining the klan in Lauderdale County, Roberts began calling for the execution of Schwerner.
Roberts participated in beating the black citizens at the Mount Zion church on June 16. Five days later he was the one who pulled the trigger in the killing of Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney.
He was later identified as the killer, convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After his release from the Leavenworth, Kansas Federal Penitentiary Roberts became a car dealer in Meridian.
However, he still continued in his violent ways and kicked a CBS camera man in the groin and smashed him over the head.
James Jordan (MB: Lester Cowens) —
James Jordan moved to Meridian and worked in a hotel and was the operator of an illegal speakeasy. During the time of his arrival the Ku Klux Klan was planning the murder of Michael Schwerner and Jordan played an active role in recruiting killers for the night of the murder and was even said to have been a participant in the killings.
It was said that "Jordan was a nervous man who had difficulty keeping secrets," and the FBI convinced him to give up state evidence. After what was said to be five long interviews Jordan finally talked.
After hearing the evidence as well as Jordan's case for his role in the killing he was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison.
Agent John Proctor (MB: Agent Rupert Anderson) —
Not Pictured
1926-
John Proctor was born in Reform, Alabama. 26 years later he began working for the Bureau. Then in 1962 he began working in Meridian under the supervision of the FBI.
It was said that because of his job Proctor "cultivated friendships with all types who might aid in his job, from bootleggers to local law enforcement officials, Klansmen, black leaders and the civil rights workers.
After the disappearance of Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney, Proctor was assigned to investigate the disappearance. Because of his history in Neshoba County, Proctor was "one of the most productive FBI's agents assigned to the case."He also was the one who got a confession out of James Jordan.
In 1978, Proctor retired from the FBI to open up his own detective agency in Meridian.
Agent Joseph Sullivan (MB: Agent Alan Ward) —
After graduating from law school Joseph Sullivan began working for the FBI in 1947.
In the 1950's he began keeping an eye on the Ku Klux Klan as well as other violent organization. Then in 1963 he was promoted the Major Case Inspector where he "quickly developed a reputation for thoroughness and efficiency.
In 1964 he became the major case inspector over the deaths of Civil Rights workers Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney.
His code name for the investigation was MIBURN. This is where the movie "Mississippi Burning" received its title.
Sullivan was a widower with grown children.
